College of Education - M.A. in School and Public Librarianship
About the Program
The program is designed for students who wish to pursue graduate education to become a school library media specialist or public librarian. Students can earn a master's degree with concentrations leading to certification as School Library Media Specialist (for school libraries) or Professional Librarian (public libraries). Certification as Associate School Library Media Specialist can be earned by those seeking K-12 certification to perform school library media services under the direction of a qualified supervisor. Before enrolling in any course, interested students must contact the graduate program advisor. Because of course scheduling, it is advantageous to begin the program in the fall.
The school media program was recognized by the American Association of School Librarians in February 2007 at the time that the College of Education was accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. This is the appropriate "seal of approval" for school media programs. Readers are advised that the Program in School and Public Librarianship is not accredited by the American Library Association. We are a small, special purpose library education program. We advise prospective students that if you plan to spend your career in New Jersey's school or public libraries, Rowan is an excellent choice because all of our courses are designed with those arenas in mind. Our faculty are highly experienced library educators with strong backgrounds in school and public libraries, possessors of Ph.D.’s in library science, and researchers with many publications and presentations to their credits. For those whose ambitions include relocating to other states, we urge you to investigate the ALA schools at Rutgers-New Brunswick, or Drexel in Philadelphia. For other schools, please visit the American Library Association's Education and Careers page. Those whose needs cannot be met by an on-campus program may wish to investigate distance education options.
The program coordinator welcomes inquiries from those considering a career as a school librarian/media specialist or public librarian. Contact Dr. Holly Willett at 856-256-4561 or willett@rowan.edu.
